Scaffold ledger support



Sept. 23, 1969 H. LLOYD 3,468,399

SCAFFOLD LEDGER SUPPORT Filed April 10, 1967 Fig. 3

INYENTOR. H A ROLD LLOYD United States Patent 3,468,399 SCAFFOLD LEDGER SUPPORT Harold Lloyd, 515 Palm, National City, Calif. 92050 Filed Apr. 10, 1967, Ser. No. 629,603 Int. Cl. E04g 1/00 US. Cl. 182-229 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The support member has a self-penetrating screw type element at one end for attachment to building structure without the need for brackets or separate fittings, the other end having bolted securing means adaptable to wooden or metal uprights, the securing bolt being manually tightened and having the added function of a lever to rotate the support member for screwing the selfpenetrating end into supporting structure without additional tools.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to scaffolding and specifically to a ledger support.

There are many different types of scaffolding using horizontal support members between the building structure and scaffold uprights to support ledger boards or planks, which serve as platforms for the workers. The usual technique involves some type of bracket, hook, or similar means which is attached to the building structure to hold one end of each ledger support member. These must be attached in the proper places before each stage of scaffolding can be assembled and a often left in place to be covered by the final finish or surfacing of the wall, since removal would be uneconomical in view of the cost of labor.

Summary of the invention The ledger support member described herein has a wall penetrating threaded point at one end which is screwed directly into the building structure by rotating the complete member. The other end is secured to a element around the upright or the bolt passing directly through the upright. No tools are needed for assembly, the bolt being manually operable and also serving as a lever for the initial securing of the member to the building structure.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a perspective view 0m a complete support member;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view showing the assembly of the member which a wooden upright.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view showing assembly on a tubular metal upright; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged end elevation view, as taken from the left hand end of FIGURE 1, showing use of the bolt as a lever for initial securement.

Similar characteristics of reference indicate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the views of the drawings.

Description of the preferred embodiment The support member is an elongated rigid metal element of suitable length to support the required width of work platform. While cylindrical tubing is preferable for strength and weight consideration to simplify handling, it should be understood that other material such as channel or angle sections may be used. At one end of member 10, is an axially extending, threaded wall penetrating point 12, which may be a lag bolt or similar screw element, welded on or otherwise fixed securely to the member. At the other end of member 10 is a female threaded portion represented as a nut 14 having its threaded bore axially aligned with the member, the nut being welded or otherwise secured on the member, as shown, or inside the end thereof depending on the relative sizes of the member and nut. A short distance from the nut end of member 10 is a transverse or diametrical bolt hole 16 to receive a bolt 18, which also fits the threads of nut 14, the head 20 of the bolt having a radially projecting bar or arm 22 fixed thereon for leverage.

To attach the support member to a structure 24, such as a wall or frame of a building, a pilot or starting hole is made in the required location and the threaded point 12 is inserted. Bolt 18 is inserted in bolt hole 16 with as much as possible of the head end of the bolt extending, the bolt then being used as a lever to turn the member 10 and screw the point into the structure, as indicated in FIGURE 4. Structures for which the member is intended to be used will normally contain sufficient wood to which the member can be secured. However, the threaded point could be hardened or be of special type to permit penetration into masonry or the like.

In FIGURE 2 the member is shown in use with a wooden scaffold upright 26, composed of a pair of standard two-by-fours held together. For this arrangement the other end of the member 10 is held by a metal strap 28 which has a looped portion 30 around the member, then passes around upright 26 to the bolt 18. A nut 32 secures both ends of the strap and can be tightened as necessary by manually turning the bolt with the leverage of arm 22. For simplicity of illustration the strap 28 is shown as a plain metal strap preformed to fit, as in FIGURE 1, but in actual use would probably be conventional perforated strap material which can be cut to any length and shaped or bent as needed. Suitably spaced support members will then support ledger boards 34, indicated in broken line, to provide a safe platform.

To assist in assembly of the scaffold and provide added security the member 10 has a transverse nail hole 36 spaced axially from and parallel to bolt hole 16, so that a nail 38 can be passed through and driven into upright 26, as in FIGURE 2. This serves to tack the member in place while the strap 28 is being positioned and secured and also prevents the member from slipping down under heavy load.

With a metal tubular upright 40, as in FIGURE 3, the upright can be drilled to receive the bolt 18, which passes through the upright into nut 14. It will be obvious that this arrangement could also be used with a wooden upright instead of the strap. As a further alternative the strap could be used with a tubular upright if drilling is inconvenient.

From this it can be seen that the support member, as an assembly with the bolt and some strap material, is adaptable to a variety of scaffold structures. When the scaifold is dismantled the support members are merely unscrewed, leaving only small holes in the building structure to be covered by the final finish.

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the specification and drawing are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

1. A scaffold ledger support, comprising:

an elongated, rigid member having a threaded selfpenetrating point integral therewith and projecting longitudinally from one end thereof;

said member having a transverse :bolt hole adjacent the other end thereof;

a bolt insertable through said hole and being of sufficient length for use as a lever to turn said member and seat said threaded point in a supporting structure;

and means on said member, discrete from and engageable by said bolt, to secure said other end of the member to an upright scaffold support wherein said last mentioned means includes an element having a portion looped around said member and a portion to pass around the upright, said bolt securing the ends of said element.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein said last mentioned means includes a female threaded portion in said other end of the member to receive said bolt longitudinally of the member.

3. The structure of claim 1 and including a nail hole through said member axially spaced from and substantially parallel to said bolt hole.

4 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner V. F. FOSS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3468399 Dated: September 23, I969 Harold Lloyd It is certified that error appears in the above-identitied patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

CoIumn I, line 33, change a" to -are--; at the end of Iine 42, after "0'', insert -scaFFoId upright by a bolt type clamp, either with a strap--; Iine 49, change "om" to "of"; Iine 52, change "which" to --with--; line 58 change "characteristics" to --characters--.

SIGNED MID SEALED I MAY 5 1970 SEAL) Atteet:

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